How Much Protein & Carbs Per Day if Over 50?

by Erin Coleman, R.D., L.D.

A proper diet will help you look and feel your best.

When you’re over 50, getting the right proportion of carbs and protein can help you look and feel your best, give you that extra boost of energy to get through the day and help you maintain a healthy body weight. As you age, your metabolism slows down, and you require fewer calories each day for healthy weight maintenance. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Health Statistics Reports, the average body mass index, or BMI, for both men and woman ages 50 and older falls into the "overweight" category.

Protein Requirements

Regardless of your calorie intake, your protein needs remain fairly constant because they’re based on your body weight, according to a review published in 2009 edition of “Nutrition and Metabolism.” The Institute of Medicine recommends men over 50 eat at least 56 grams of protein, and women over 50 consume at least 46 grams of protein every day. Although the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, for protein is 0.8 gram per kilogram of body weight, or about 0.36 gram per pound of body weight, a review published in a 2010 edition of “Aging Health” reports that slightly increasing protein intake above the RDA may benefit bone health in the aging population. A review published in a 2008 edition of “Clinical Nutrition” found that protein intakes of 1.5 grams per kilogram, or about 0.68 gram per pound, of body weight per day is beneficial for the elderly population. Therefore, if you’re over 50 shoot for 0.36 to 0.68 gram of protein per pound of body weight each day.

Considerations—Calorie Needs

Your carbohydrate needs are determined by your calorie requirements—which are based on your age and gender. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, women over 50 need 1,600 calories daily if they are sedentary, 1,800 calories if they’re moderately active and 2,000 to 2,200 calories per day if they are active; while men over 50 need 2,000 to 2,200 calories if they are sedentary, 2,200 to 2,400 calories when they’re moderately active and 2,400 to 2,800 calories a day if they’re active. These calorie needs are estimated to help adults over 50 maintain healthy body weights. Overweight women generally need 1,000 to 1,600 calories, while overweight men usually require 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day for weight loss, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.

Carbohydrate Requirements

According to the Institute of Medicine, all adults should aim to consume 45 to 65 percent of their daily calories from carbohydrates. Carbs provide 4 calories per gram. Therefore, if you’re consuming 1,600 calories a day aim for 180 to 260 grams of carbs, if you eat 2,000 calories a day shoot for 225 to 325 grams and if you consume 2,400 calories aim for 270 to 390 grams of carbs each day. Brown University reports that athletes should aim for about 65 percent of their calories from carbs; however, since low-carb, high-protein diets can be effective for weight loss, if you’re overweight aim for closer to 45 to 50 percent of your calories from carbohydrates.

About the Author

Erin Coleman is a registered and licensed dietitian. She also holds a Bachelor of Science in dietetics and has extensive experience working as a health writer and health educator. Her articles are published on various health, nutrition and fitness websites.

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